Was a Canadian Girl Killed for Not Praying?

I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

A 13-year-old Longueuil girl died Saturday night as a result of injuries she sustained Wednesday when police say her 71-year-old father slapped her and she went into a coma.

But so far, so bad.

Shocked neighbours Monday described the girl as a "ray of light" who played happily with their children and used to give hugs to some of the other mothers when she came home from school.

But neighbour Linda Robert said Noutene had been quieter in the last two years. Her father was demanding, Robert said, and could be heard sometimes yelling at the children or his wife. On the evening that she was struck, neighbours said her father was calling in to recite her prayers, as he often did. She was reluctant to go, as she often was, neighbours said.

"Even when she was young, she hated going in for her prayers," Robert said.

In the meantime, I've got two questions of my own.

How do you "slap" a child into a COMA?

And at a time when gay kids are dying because of religious intolerance, should anyone be surprised?

The dirty old bastard.

The poor little child...